CN110062699B

CN110062699B - System and method for determining printing conditions based on printed image samples

Info

Publication number: CN110062699B
Application number: CN201780076554.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 史蒂文·A·比洛; 吉拉德·迪西尼克
Original assignee: Electronics for Imaging Inc
Current assignee: Electronics for Imaging Inc
Priority date: 2016-10-11
Filing date: 2017-10-11
Publication date: 2021-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-11
Also published as: WO2018071587A1; CN110062699A; US20240010018A1; EP3526051A4; US20180099516A1; US10300723B2; US12064980B2; US20190275817A1; ES2935604T3; EP3526051B1; US11660892B2; EP3526051A1

Abstract

Embodiments include a method performed by a system operable to determine a condition associated with printing a printed portion by a shuttle-based printer. The method includes printing a portion of an image on a portion of a media, thereby providing a printed portion. The portion of the media may have a size defined at least by a step size taken based on the media being advanced in a downstream direction by the shuttle printer. The method also includes scanning at least the printed portion to capture a sample image of the printed portion. The sample image may be captured by using an imager that moves in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction. The method also includes examining at least the sample image to determine a value indicative of a condition associated with the printed portion.

Description

System and method for determining printing conditions based on printed image samples

Cross reference to related applications

This application claims priority from U.S. patent application No. 15/291,016 filed on 10/11/2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The teachings disclosed herein relate generally to systems and methods for determining print conditions based on printed image samples and, more particularly, to systems and methods for determining print conditions based on image samples printed by shuttle-based printers.

Background

Common types of printers include single-pass (single-pass) systems and shuttle-based (shuttle-based) systems. FIG. 1A shows an example of a single-pass system implemented on a printer. One or more printheads span the width of the printer. The "width" of the printer refers to the range of the printing area in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction (i.e., the downstream direction). The print head may have access to reservoirs with cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks. An image is printed on a medium by advancing the medium downstream under an arrangement of printheads that eject ink onto the medium. An "image" refers to any visually perceptible object (e.g., document, banner, graphic) that can be recorded on a "medium," which is a physical substrate (e.g., paper or tile) on which an image can be permanently or temporarily recorded. Further, "image" may refer to a portion of another image. The print head can dispense different color inks simultaneously to print a color image.

Fig. 1B shows an example of a shuttle-based system (i.e., a multi-pass (multi-pass) system) implemented on a printer. Here, printing involves multiple "passes" of a printer carriage (carriage) moving perpendicular to the downstream direction. The carriage includes a printhead. Each pass, ink may be dispensed onto the media to print an image. Thus, the carriage may need to pass the printhead over the media multiple times to produce full-color results.

Systems for verifying images being printed have long been tools for ensuring acceptable print quality. Common inspection systems use line sensors or area sensors that capture a sample image of the printed image. The captured image may be analyzed to check print quality. For example, fig. 2A shows an example of a line sensor that spans the entire width of the printer. FIG. 2B shows an example of a line sensor that does not span the entire width of the printer but includes optics (optics) that can capture the entire width of the printer. Finally, FIG. 2C shows an example of an area sensor that captures an area of an image being printed. High speed printing presses and single pass inkjet systems typically use a stationary two-dimensional still camera to capture an image of the printed image. However, the cameras required for wide-format printers (wide-format printers) are impractical and cost prohibitive.

Disclosure of Invention

Described herein are at least one method, at least one system, and at least one apparatus. The at least one method may be performed by a system for verifying an image printed by a shuttle-based printer. The method includes printing a portion of an image on a portion of a media, thereby providing a printed portion. The portion of the media may have a size defined at least by a step size based on a step size taken by the shuttle printer to advance the media in a downstream direction. The method also includes scanning the printed portion to capture a sample image of the printed portion. The sample image may be captured by using an imager that moves in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction. The method also includes examining at least a portion of the sample image to determine a value indicative of a condition associated with the printed portion (e.g., based on the shuttle printer or a condition of the final printed image).

In some embodiments, a system for verifying an image printed by a shuttle-based printer includes a printer carriage that can print a portion of the image on a portion of media, thereby providing a printed portion. The portion of the media may have a size defined at least by a step size taken based on the media being advanced in a downstream direction by the shuttle printer. The system also includes an imager that can capture a sample image of the printed portion. An image of the sample is captured as the imager is moved in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction. The system also includes an inspection subsystem that can inspect at least a portion of the sample image to determine a value indicative of a condition associated with the printed portion.

In some embodiments, a shuttle-based printer includes a printer carriage configured to print a portion of an image on a portion of media. The portion of the media may have a size defined at least by a step size taken based on the media being advanced in a downstream direction by the shuttle printer. The shuttle-based printer includes an imager configured to capture a sample image of a printed portion. The sample image may be captured while the imager is moving simultaneously with the printer carriage in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction.

The foregoing embodiments may involve any combination of examining at least a portion of a captured sample image, a plurality of sample images of a printed portion, or a composite image (composite) of all sample images forming a final printed image. Further, the sample image or any of at least a portion of the plurality of sample images may be independently verified (e.g., analyzed) depending on, for example, a customer or system pre-selected area or sample image (e.g., declared important).

Other aspects of the disclosed embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a single-pass system implemented on a printer;

FIG. 1B illustrates an example of a shuttle-based system implemented on a printer;

FIG. 2A shows an example of a line sensor spanning the entire width of the printer;

FIG. 2B shows an example of a line sensor including optics that span the entire width of the printer;

FIG. 2C shows an example of an area sensor capturing an area of an image being printed;

FIG. 3 illustrates a printing system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an imager structurally coupled to a printer carriage in a shuttle-based system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a stitched image (stitched image) representing a print image captured by an imager as a combination of multiple sample images, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates an imager structurally decoupled from a printer carriage in a shuttle-based system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

fig. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a process performed by a shuttle-based system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

fig. 8 is a block diagram of a computer operable to implement the disclosed technology, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT (S) OF INVENTION

The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Where the context permits, words using the singular or plural form may also include the plural or singular form, respectively.

As used herein, unless specifically stated otherwise, terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," "determining," "displaying," "generating," or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer or similar electronic computing device that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer's memories or registers into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer's memories, registers or other such storage, transmission or display devices.

As used herein, the terms "connected," "coupled," or variants thereof, refer to any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements. The coupling or connection between the elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof.

The disclosed embodiments include methods, systems, and apparatus implementing shuttle-based techniques to verify an image being printed. For example, a shuttle-based printer may print a portion of an image on media. This portion may correspond at least to the step size taken by the printer to advance the media in the downstream direction. An imager (e.g., a scanner) may capture samples (i.e., sub-images) of the printed portion as the imager traverses over the printed portion in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction. Computer software can be used to generate an image representing any portion of the printed image by stitching (stitching) any number of captured samples together. Any number or combination of individual or stitched captured samples may be examined to determine print conditions (e.g., based on the print conditions of a shuttle printer).

The imager of the disclosed embodiments has a smaller width than a line scan camera that would span the entire width of the printer. Thus, an array of sampled images may be captured across the width of the printer, and final inspection may be performed on images that have been reconstructed from the multiple samples taken by the smaller imager on each pass. In particular, computer software is used to reconstruct a final image from multiple samples captured over different passes. Using such a smaller imager to scan portions of the printed image over different passes can achieve scalability of a wide format printer while avoiding the need for expensive wide format cameras.

Thus, the disclosed technology provides a cost-effective way to perform high quality and high resolution inspections of wide format, high speed printing presses to ensure acceptable print quality. Additionally, the disclosed imager may be coupled or decoupled from a printer carriage (which moves the printhead back and forth). Thus, the imager may be moved simultaneously or independently of the carriage. Structurally coupling the imager to the carriage may further reduce costs by using existing structures to capture the array of images. In contrast, structurally decoupling the imager from the carriage may provide increased flexibility for different applications.

Embodiments of the disclosed system may examine various parameter values representing various printing conditions associated with a printed image, and may perform various actions based on whether the printed image satisfies those printing conditions. Conditions may include print quality, which may be affected by defects in the status of consumables (e.g., low ink), mechanical defects (e.g., printhead misalignment, nozzle misbehavior, poor alignment uniformity), media defects (e.g., substrate imperfections), color, gloss, and the like. The parameters may include threshold or range values that are used to determine whether a condition is satisfied and reject printed products that do not satisfy the condition. For example, the parameter may be edge definition, which must exceed a preselected value or be within a preset range of values to meet print quality conditions.

In another example, the disclosed system may compare the new printed image to a "master" printed image, which may be a previously printed image that is considered "good" by the customer/operator to determine whether the new printed image meets the print quality condition. In another example, the new printed image may be compared to the digital file from which the new printed image originated to determine whether the new printed image satisfies the print quality condition. In yet another example, the printer may print a barcode on or near primary printed images (primary printed images) and compare the print quality of the barcode to a pre-established standard or grade to infer the print quality of the primary printed image. Further, the disclosed system may be configured to verify variable data, such as serial numbers that vary from copy to copy of a print job, and compare these serial numbers to expected values.

The disclosed techniques may also be used for diagnostic evaluation by scanning and imaging a variety of printed targets. Accordingly, nozzle ink-out (nozzle-out) or misdirected (misdirected) nozzles can be detected, alignment errors can be measured from appropriately designed targets, and color adjustment can be facilitated. In some embodiments, the disclosed system can verify a secondary print image as a "print target" that is added to a primary print image. The secondary print image can be used to infer the condition of the primary print image. For example, the printer may print a nozzle test pattern (a secondary print image) on or near the primary print image and compare the print quality of the nozzle test pattern to a pre-established standard or grade to infer the print quality of the primary print image. Thus, the disclosed system can verify a primary print image, or verify a secondary print image that is added to the primary print image to infer the condition of the primary print image.

As described above, the disclosed techniques may perform different actions based on the results of the verification. For example, defective printed images may be rejected based on a defined threshold for acceptable print quality. Other actions that may be taken include triggering cleaning of the print head, adjusting alignment or registration elements, stopping printing operations, prompting maintenance operations, or combinations thereof, etc.

In some embodiments, the disclosed technology may determine a plurality of parameter values representing a plurality of printing conditions of a medium on which an image may be printed. For example, the disclosed system may determine whether there are any defects on the input media (incoming media) on which the images are scheduled to be printed. In the event that a defective media is detected, the printer may reject the defective media and avoid printing on the defective media to conserve resources.

Fig. 3 illustrates a printing system 10 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The printing system 10 includes a computer 12 connected to a printing mechanism 14 via a network 16. Network 16 may include a combination of private, public, wired, or wireless portions. Data communicated over network 16 may be encrypted or unencrypted at various locations or portions of network 16. Computer 12, printing mechanism 14, and any other components of printing system 10 may include a combination of hardware and/or software to process data, perform functions, communicate over network 16, and the like.

Any of the components of printing system 10 may include a processor, random access memory (memory) or non-volatile memory (storage), a network transceiver, a display, an operating system and application software (e.g., for providing a user interface), and so forth. Other components, hardware, and/or software included in printing system 10 known to those skilled in the art are not shown or discussed herein.

The computer 12 may comprise any computing device, such as a server, a desktop or laptop computer (e.g., Apple MacBook, Lenovo 440), a handheld mobile device (e.g., Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Microsoft Surface), and any other electronic computing device, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a user may send a print job to print mechanism 14 over network 16 using computer 12.

A print job refers to a file or set of files, including one or more images to be printed by print mechanism 14. Different print jobs may be distinguished by a unique identifier and assigned to a particular destination, typically a printer (e.g., print mechanism 14). A print job may include instructions that control how the printer should print an image. For example, a print job may include instructions regarding options such as media type, number of copies, quality mode, step size, and priority.

"printing mechanism" refers to any device or component that can at least facilitate forming a persistent human-readable representation of an image (e.g., graphics or text) on paper, tile, or any other physical medium (hereinafter "medium"). As described above, an "image" is any visually perceptible object that can be recorded on a medium, which is a physical substrate on which an image can be permanently or temporarily recorded. Additionally, an image may refer to a portion of another image where context allows. The printing mechanism 14 is shown as a shuttle-based inkjet printing mechanism that prints images on media 20 by using a movable carriage that pushes ink drops onto the media 20. Although printing mechanism 14 is functionally described as an inkjet mechanism to aid understanding, the disclosed concepts are not limited to this particular embodiment. Rather, printing mechanism 14 may be incorporated into any type of printer that incorporates or utilizes a shuttle-based system to verify a printed image.

Carriage 18 of printing mechanism 14 moves perpendicular to the downstream direction of the print zone. The carriage 18 includes various components that are used to print images onto the media 20. For example, carriage 18 includes one or more printheads. The printhead may access a reservoir of color or black ink and distribute the ink onto media 20 advancing in a downstream direction. Printing involves the carriage 18 traversing multiple times back and forth over the media 20. In each pass, the color of the ink is distributed onto the media 20 to collectively print the image.

Printing mechanism 14 includes an imager 22, and imager 22 may be located anywhere downstream of carriage 18. Imager 22 may capture a scanned image of an image being printed on media 20. The captured image may be stored locally on the printer, transmitted to another location, such as the computer 12, or both. Imager 22 is a remote sensing device in that it captures a sample of the printed image without physical contact. Examples of the imager 22 include a scanner including a scan head that performs a scanning operation on a portion of a printed image. Accordingly, the imager 22 may include hardware and optical and software components known to those skilled in the art and, therefore, will not be discussed herein.

Printing system 10 may use the disclosed shuttle-based techniques to verify a printed image. For example, printing mechanism 14 may print a portion of an image on media 20. This portion may correspond at least to the step size taken by printing mechanism 14 to advance media 20 in the downstream direction. As imager 22 passes back and forth over the printed portion in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction, imager 22 may capture a sample image of at least the printed portion. Computer software on a printer (including the printing mechanism 14) or other device (e.g., the computer 12) may generate composite samples by stitching any number of samples together. Any sample or combination of stitched samples may be examined, independently or collectively, to determine a parameter value representative of a print condition (e.g., a condition of a printer).

Fig. 4 illustrates an imager structurally coupled to a printer carriage in a shuttle-based system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. System 24 includes a print zone 26, which print zone 26 is defined as the area on which carriage 28 can print on media 30. As the carriage 28 moves in both directions, the carriage 28 is coupled to a track (trailing) 32 to print on the media 30. Print zone 26 may receive portions 34 (collectively referred to as portions 34, and individually as portions 34-1 through 34-8) of media 30 on which respective portions of image 36 are to be printed. Each portion 34 may be defined by a step size taken to advance media 30 in a downstream direction.

In some embodiments, the step size may be fixed or variable. For example, a two-pass (two-pass) print mode may not advance the media during a first print pass, but advance the media the entire height of the printhead during a second print pass. Additionally, in some embodiments, portion 34 may be slightly larger than the step size to facilitate subsequent stitching of the sample images to form image 36, as described further below.

Carriage 28 is operable to distribute ink onto portions of media 30 within print zone 26. Specifically, carriage 28 may move on rails 32 in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction, passing back and forth over print area 26 multiple times, each time distributing ink onto a portion of media 30 within print area 26. Carriage 28 passes over print area 26 a sufficient number of times to complete printing of a portion of image 36 within print area 26.

In the embodiment of fig. 4, the medium 30 has eight portions 34-1 through 34-8, at least one of which has been passed by the carriage 28. For example, portions 34-1 through 34-7 may be completed portions, while portion 34-8 may be an incomplete portion. More specifically, portion 34-8 may be completed in a single pass by carriage 28, while portion 34-7 may be completed in two passes by carriage 28.

After carriage 28 has completed printing a portion of image 36 onto portion 34-7, media 30 takes steps to advance downstream. Thus, completed portion 34-7 leaves print area 26, portion 34-8 advances to occupy a portion of print area 26 previously occupied by portion 34-7, and a new portion enters print area 26. The carriage 28 then passes back and forth across the print zone as desired. This process is iteratively repeated to print the image 36 on the media 30 portion by portion until the entire image 36 has been printed on the media 30.

The components of the system 24 include an imager 38, the imager 38 being downstream of the carriage 28, but structurally coupled to the carriage 28. Thus, imager 38 and carriage 28 may simultaneously move back and forth over portion 34 of media 30 in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction. Imager 38 may capture one or more images of at least one completed portion (e.g., portion 34-5). Each captured image is a sub-image (hereinafter referred to as a "sample image") that may span the printed portion 34 of the image 36. The array of sample images together span the image 36 in its entirety.

For example, as imager 38 passes over a printed portion, imager 38 may capture a sample image of the printed portion while carriage 28 simultaneously prints other portions. In some embodiments, the resolution of the imager 38 may be equal to or greater than the maximum dots per inch (dpi) value of the printed image (e.g., 1,000 dpi).

In some embodiments, imager 38 has a free length (L)_imager) And width (W)_imager) A defined field of view. Length (L)_imager) Equal to or greater than the length (L) of the largest part of the portion 34_section). Thus, any step taken by the printing mechanism to advance media 30 downstream is equal to or less than the length of the imager (L)_imager). For example, in some embodiments, the length (L) of imager 38_imager) May be greater than or equal to the maximum step size of the printer.

The disclosed system includes an image processing subsystem (not shown in fig. 4) that may examine at least one of the sampled images captured by the imager 38 to determine a parameter value representative of a printing condition (e.g., a condition of the printer). Referring back to fig. 3, the image processing subsystem may reside at a printer that includes printing mechanism 14 or at computer 12. Accordingly, a sampled image captured by imager 38 may be transmitted from printing mechanism 14 to computer 12 over network 16, where the sample image is processed at computer 12 to determine the printing performed by the printer that includes printing mechanism 14.

In some embodiments, the image processing subsystem may stitch together any number of sample images captured by the imager 38. For example, fig. 5 shows an image 40 representing an image 36 stitched together of a plurality of sample images 42 captured by the imager 38.

As used herein, stitching is a process that involves combining multiple sample images with overlapping fields of view to produce a segmented (segmented) image. Stitching is typically performed using computer software, and may require nearly exact overlap between images at the same exposure to produce seamless results. The process of stitching may include determining an appropriate model that relates pixel coordinates in one sample image to pixel coordinates in another sample image in order to align the stitching of the two sample images. The process may involve evaluating the correct alignment associated with multiple pairs (or sets) of sample images. In some embodiments, discriminating features may be found in each sample image, which are then matched to establish correspondences (coreesponds) between pairs of sample images.

The determination of the value representing the print condition may be based on any number of sample images 42, including sample image arrays 42 that have been stitched together to form a portion or the entirety of the presentation image 40. For example, the image processing subsystem may determine print quality based on an examination of a single sample image 42-1, or based on a stitched portion (e.g., any one of 42-1 through 42-5), or the entire stitched image 40 (e.g., all of 42-1 through 42-5).

Verification may be performed to make various determinations of the printer's performance, including the status of any consumables (e.g., ink), and the status of mechanical components (e.g., alignment of the print head). Thus, determinations about the printer may be used to identify maintenance needs, identify errors, and perform troubleshooting (troubleshoot). For example, the disclosed techniques may be used for diagnostic evaluation by scanning and imaging multiple printed targets. In particular, nozzle ink-out (nozzle-out) or misdirected (misdirected) nozzles can be detected, alignment errors can be measured from appropriately designed targets, and color adjustment can be facilitated.

Fig. 6 illustrates an imager structurally decoupled from a printer carriage in a shuttle-based system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The system 42 is similar to the system 24 of fig. 4, except that the imager 48 is movable independently of the carriage 44. In particular, the carriage 44 and the imager 48 may move along different rails. Carriage 44 may move along track 32 in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction, back and forth through multiple passes to print portions of image 36 onto media 30. Imager 48 may move along rail 50 in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction, and may be able to traverse back and forth any number of times to scan an image printed on media 30.

In some embodiments, the scan axis of the imager 48 is not parallel to the axis of movement of the carriage 44. Thus, the scan axis of the imager 48 may not be perpendicular to the downstream direction. Instead, the imager 48 may be mounted on a rail 50, the rail 50 being at an angle to the rails of the carriage 44. This still allows the imager 48 to capture the entire image 40 through sub-images.

Similar to the system 24 shown in fig. 4, the imager 48 is downstream of the carriage 44. In some embodiments, imager 48 has a free length (L)_imager) And width (W)_imager) A defined field of view. Length (L)_imager) Equal to or greater than the length (L) of the largest part of the portion 34_section). Thus, any step taken by the printing mechanism to advance media 30 downstream is equal to or less than the length of the imager (L)_imager). Accordingly, imager 48 may capture sample images of print image 36 corresponding to respective portions 34 of media 30.

Unlike the system 24 shown in fig. 4, any of the direction, velocity, and acceleration of the imager 48 may be the same as or different from the carriage 44. For example, the scan rate and acceleration of the imager 48 may be equal to the maximum speed and acceleration of the carriage 44. Specifically, the scan rate of the imager 48 may be equal to the maximum speed of the carriage 44 (e.g., 73 inches per second (ips)). The acceleration of the imager 48 may be equal to the maximum acceleration of the carriage 44 (e.g., 1g of gravity). The ability to independently control the movement of imager 48 from carriage 44 provides flexibility for adjusting the inspection of the printed image to determine a variety of printing conditions.

In some embodiments, the

imager

38 or 48 may be located upstream of the carriage 28 or 44, respectively, to capture a sample image of the input media before the print image is printed on the media. Thus, system 24 or 42 may reject any defective media using similar techniques as described above to avoid printing on defective media. Accordingly, the imager may capture a sample image on a medium on which a print image is scheduled to be performed and reject a defective medium to prevent the defective print image.

Fig. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a process 700 performed by a system for verifying images printed by a shuttle-based printer according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In step 702, a portion of an image is printed by passing a shuttle printer based carriage over a portion of a media a plurality of times. The portion of the media typically has a size defined by a step size based on the media being advanced in the downstream direction by the shuttle printer. In some embodiments, the portion size may be larger than the step size to facilitate later splicing together of the portions.

In step 704, an imager downstream of the carriage may capture a sample image of the printed portion. The sample image is captured by passing the imager in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction. As described above, the imager may be structurally decoupled or coupled to the carrier of the printed image. Thus, the imager and printer carriage will each move simultaneously or independently. Either way, the maximum step size employed by shuttle-based printers is typically equal to or less than the length of the field of view of the imager in the downstream direction.

In step 706, the plurality of sample images can optionally be stitched together to form a stitched image representing at least a portion of the image printed on the media. The stitched image may be based on a combination of any number of sampled images. For example, the stitched image may represent a portion of the image or the entirety of the image.

In step 708, the system may examine at least a portion of the sample image to determine a value indicative of the print condition. For example, the system may examine a single sample image or a stitched image to determine shuttle-based conditions. As described above, the verification may be performed on a shuttle-based printer or other device (e.g., a remotely located computer).

Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a computer 52 of printing system 10 operable to implement the disclosed techniques, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Computer 52 may be a general purpose computer or a computer specifically designed to perform the features of printing system 10. For example, the computer 52 may be a system-on-chip (SOC), a Single Board Computer (SBC) system, a desktop or laptop computer, a kiosk, a mainframe, a network of computer systems, a handheld mobile device, a portion of a cloud-based data collection system included in an internet of things device, a portion of an industrial 4.0 system, or a combination thereof.

The computer 52 may be a standalone device or part of a distributed system spanning multiple networks, locations, machines, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the computer 52 operates in a client-server network environment as a server computer (e.g., computer 12) or a client device (e.g., print mechanism 14), or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer system. In some embodiments, computer 52 may perform one or more steps of the disclosed embodiments in real-time, near real-time, offline, by batch processing, or a combination thereof.

As shown in FIG. 8, the computer 52 includes a bus 54, the bus 54 being operable to transfer data between hardware components. These components include a controller 56 (e.g., a processing system), a network interface 58, an input/output (I/O) system 60, and a clock system 62. The computer 52 may include other components that are not shown or discussed further for the sake of brevity. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate any hardware and software that may be included but is not shown in fig. 8.

The controller 56 includes one or more processors 64 (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and/or a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)) and memory 66, which may include software 68. For example, the memory 66 may include volatile memory, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as Read Only Memory (ROM). The memory 66 may be local, remote, or distributed.

When referred to as being "implemented in a computer-readable storage medium," the software program (e.g., software 68) comprises computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (e.g., memory 66). A processor (e.g., processor 64) "is configured to execute a software program" when at least one value associated with the software program is stored in a register readable by the processor. In some embodiments, the routines executed to implement the disclosed embodiments may be implemented as Operating System (OS) software (e.g., Microsoft Windows^®And Linux^®) Or a portion of a particular software application, component, program, object, module, or sequence of instructions referred to as a "computer program".

Thus, a computer program typically comprises one or more instructions that are set at different times in various memory devices of a computer (e.g., computer 52), which when read and executed by at least one processor (e.g., processor 64) will cause the computer to perform operations to perform features relating to aspects of the disclosed embodiments. In some embodiments, a carrier containing the computer program product described above is provided. The carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (e.g., memory 66).

Network interface 58 may include a modem or other interface (not shown) for coupling computer 52 to other computers via network 16. The I/O system 60 is operable to control various I/O devices, including peripheral devices, such as a display system 70 (e.g., a monitor or touch-sensitive display) and one or more input devices 72 (e.g., a keyboard and/or pointing device). Other I/O devices 74 may include, for example, disk drives, printers, scanners, etc. Finally, clock system 62 controls timers for use with the disclosed embodiments.

Operation of a memory device (e.g., memory 66), such as a change in state from a binary one (1) to a binary zero (0) or vice versa, may include a visually perceptible physical change or transition. The transformation may include a physical transformation of the item into a different state or object. For example, the change in state may involve the accumulation and storage of charge or the release of stored charge. Likewise, a change in state may include a physical change or transition in magnetic orientation or a physical change or transition in molecular structure, such as a change from crystalline to amorphous, or vice versa.

Aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be described in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits stored in memory. These algorithmic descriptions and symbolic representations generally include a series of operations to produce the desired results. The operations are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. Generally, for convenience, these signals are referred to as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. These and similar terms are to be associated with the physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities.

While the embodiments have been described in the context of fully functioning computers, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various embodiments are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, regardless of the particular type of machine or computer readable medium used to actually effect the embodiments, and that the present disclosure applies equally.

While the disclosure has been described in terms of several embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will also recognize improvements to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of limiting.

Claims

1. A method performed by a system operable to determine conditions associated with an image printed by a shuttle-based printer, the method comprising:

printing portions of a media that collectively form the image, thereby providing a plurality of printed portions, each printed portion of the media having a size defined at least by a step size taken by the shuttle-based printer to advance the media in a downstream direction;

scanning each printed portion to capture a sample image of the printed portion using an imager that moves in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction,

wherein each sample image of each printed portion is captured after printing the printed portion,

wherein the printing is performed by a printer carriage moving in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction, an

Wherein the imager is located downstream of the printer carriage;

stitching the plurality of sample images into a stitched image; and

the stitched image is examined to determine a value indicative of a condition associated with the image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stitched image represents all of the image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying is performed by an image processing subsystem located at the shuttle-based printer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying is performed by an image processing subsystem located at a device other than the shuttle-based printer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the imager is structurally coupled to the printer carriage such that the imager and the printer carriage are configured to move simultaneously.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the imager is structurally decoupled from the printer carriage such that the imager is configured to move independently of the printer carriage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein any step size employed by the shuttle-based printer is equal to or less than a length of a field of view of the imager in the downstream direction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition is the shuttle-based printer condition.

9. A system operable to determine a condition associated with an image printed by a shuttle-based printer, the system comprising:

a printer carriage configured to move bi-directionally over portions of media to print portions that collectively form the image, thereby providing a plurality of printed portions, each printed portion of the media having a size defined at least by a step size taken by the shuttle-based printer to advance the media in a downstream direction perpendicular to the bi-directional movement of the printer carriage;

an imager downstream of the printer carriage and configured to capture sample images of each printed portion, each sample image of each printed portion being captured as the imager scans in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction and after the printed portion is printed on the media by the printer carriage; and

an inspection subsystem configured to stitch a plurality of sample images of a plurality of printed portions into a stitched image and determine, based on the stitched image, a value representative of a condition associated with an image printed by a shuttle-based printer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the stitched image represents all of the image.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the stitched image represents only a portion of the image.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the inspection subsystem is located at the shuttle-based printer.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the verification subsystem is located at a device that is not the shuttle-based printer.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the imager is structurally coupled to the printer carriage such that the imager and the printer carriage are configured to move simultaneously.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the imager is structurally decoupled from the printer carriage such that the imager is configured to move independently of the printer carriage.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein any step size employed by the shuttle-based printer is equal to or less than a length of a field of view of the imager in the downstream direction.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the condition is the shuttle-based printer condition.

18. A shuttle-based printer comprising:

a printer carriage configured to move bi-directionally over portions of media to print portions that collectively form an image to provide a plurality of printed portions, each printed portion of the media having a dimension defined at least by a step size taken by the shuttle-based printer to advance the media in a downstream direction perpendicular to the bi-directional movement of the printer carriage; and

an imager downstream of the printer carriage and configured to capture sample images of at least each printed portion, each sample image of each printed portion being captured as the imager moves concurrently with the printer carriage in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction,

wherein each sample image is captured after the printer carriage prints a respective portion of the image on the media to form a respective printed portion.

19. The shuttle-based printer according to claim 18, wherein any step size employed by the shuttle-based printer is equal to or less than a length of a field of view of the imager in the downstream direction.